Metairie to break ground on new pickleball complex

Jefferson Parish officials will break ground Thursday on a $1 million pickleball complex in Metairie at Mike Miley Playground.

Why it matters: Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the U.S.

• Even former Saints quarterback Drew Brees is getting in on the action. He hosted a pickleball tournament over the summer and is part owner of a Major League Pickleball team in Austin.

• Officials estimate 300 to 500 residents play pickleball weekly at Jefferson Parish parks.

What's happening: The Miley pickleball complex will have nine new courts and four refurbished ones with lights for free play, leagues and tournaments, according to the parish.

• It will have two small covered areas for spectators and players, and site plans also show a future "tot lot" playground nearby in addition to more parking.

Timeline: Construction is slated to get underway in December and finish in April, parish spokesperson Gretchen Hirt Gendron tells Axios.

• Crescent Commercial Construction is the contractor. Meyer Engineering is the architect/engineer, and Donovan Duffy is the design engineer.

Zoom in: The parish is using about $1 million from the recreation millage tax to fund the pickleball project, Hirt Gendron says.

• The playground is still the planning stages, she said, and will be funded separately.

Zoom out: New Orleans metro has about 30 pickleball facilities, according to Pickleheads.com, which maps courts and their amenities.

• Earlier this year, NORD opened a pickleball court in Algiers, and City Park unveiled pickleball courts.
• Plus: The Exchange Pickleball + Bar opened over the summer on Tchoupitoulas Street with indoor and outdoor courts, in addition to lessons, membership packages and on-site food and drinks.

Go deeper: Pickleball popularity picks up in New Orleans.